Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease PatientsReview articles

Anastasiia Melenevych, Olga Melenevych

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):518-524 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.051  

Prevention of adverse cardiovascular (CV) events is a challenging part of managing patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Common pathophysiological mechanisms are a prerequisite for the mutual burden of comorbid pathology, COPD, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Controversies in the assessment of traditional CV risk factors, untimely detection of existing CVD, heterogeneity of the course of COPD, and the influence of COPD medications on CV risk - all these indicate the need for additional clarifications regarding the assessment of CV risk in patients with COPD. This review summarizes recent studies on CV risk assessment in patients...

(Coarctation of the aorta in a newborn with mitral and aortic valve anomalies)Review articles

Mariana Perušičová, Viktor Tomek, Václav Chaloupecký, Jan Janoušek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):512-517 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.050  

Coarctation of the aorta is one of the most common congenital heart defects with usually favourable intermediate and long-term prognosis. Coarctation of the aorta is often associated with other heart congenital defects, especially obstructive lesions of the left-sided cardiac structures. The combination of aortic coarctation with a borderline left ventricle, mitral and/or aortic valve anomalies or stenosis is associated with a higher risk of reintervention or early mortality. One-third of infants with coarctation require urgent management in the neonatal period, and most infants experience normal growth of the initially smaller left ventricle after...

Arterial hypertension and significant DNA damage - from cell lines to patientsOriginal research articles

Radka Hazuková

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):506-511 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.075  

Arterial hypertension (HT) is a key risk factor and a widespread chronic disease that contributes to the development of a number of cardiac and non-cardiac diseases. Therefore, HT is one of the important causes of morbidity, disability, and mortality. The aetiology of HT is multifactorial. Oxidative stress appears to be the main driver in the aetiology of HT and other cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The role of DNA damage is newly discussed in the context of oxidative stress and in the genesis of CVD with a view to new therapeutic targets. Regarding current guidelines with defined gaps in the evidence, the aim of this paper was to present a comprehensive...

The Correlation of Level of Surgical Risk with High Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin in Non-Cardiac Surgical PatientsOriginal research articles

Desak Ketut Sekar Cempaka Putri, Mochamad Yusuf Alsagaff, Budi Susetyo Pikir, Muhamad Robiul Fuadi

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):500-505 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.052  

Background: Myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS) is an important issue, directly related to the mortality rate within 30 days after surgery. High sensitivity cardiac troponin (HS troponin) is the preferred biomarker for diagnosing myocardial damage because it is the most sensitive and specific heart biomarker currently available, making it suitable for detecting MINS. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between changes in HS troponin levels and surgery-related risks in non-cardiac surgery patients as a marker of myocardial injury. Method: This study is an analytical observational cross sectional study that included all...

Extremity Ischemia after Peripheral Vascular Intervention in Newborns with Congenital Heart Disease: Our Single Center ExperienceOriginal research articles

Kenan Abdurrahman Kara, Ergin Arslanoğlu, Fatih Yiğit, Eylem Tunçer, Nihat Çine, Hakan Ceyran

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):495-499 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.067  

Background: Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a rare but serious condition that can cause significant lifetime morbidity or mortality in the pediatric population. It is usually post-traumatic or iatrogenic. Results: In the study, 127 newborns who were followed up with arterial monitoring in our intensive care unit between 2019-2021 were screened retrospectively. Invasive arterial monitoring was performed on the upper extremities in 83 patients and the lower extremities in 44 patients. Acute extremity ischemia was observed in three (6%) patients who underwent lower extremity monitoring and eight (9%) patients with upper extremity ischemia. Primarily, extremity...

(The role of the catchment cardiologist - adults with congenital heart disease)Original research articles

Radka Hazuková

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):488-494 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.068  

Aim: To describe the role of the catchment cardiologist and to map the real practice in his catchment outpatient clinic related to adults with congenital heart diseases (CHD). Material and methods: A cohort of adults with CHD was selected by a retrospective analysis of the electronic database of adults in the catchment cardiologist's outpatient clinic for a 7-year period. Unambiguous cases were included. Uncertain cases and cases not meeting the criteria of CHD (valvular abnormalities without haemodynamic defects, persistent foramen ovale, arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy) were excluded. Results: Of the total number of examined adults (N = 2338, age 63.7±16.2...

(Intra-individual variability of lipoprotein(a) and its potential impact on treatment decisions regarding this risk factor)Original research articles

Tereza Nezbedová, Otto Mayer Jr.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):481-486 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.064  

Introduction: Lipoprotein(a) represents a virtually overlooked risk factor for which targeted treatment may be available soon. It has been suggested that Lp(a) concentrations are stable over time and need to be mea- sured only once in a lifetime. We aimed to verify this in clinical practice. Methods: The study includes 490 patients in whom Lp(a) was repeatedly collected, and we assessed its intra-individual variability. Results: A total of 1657 individual Lp(a) determinations were performed, with a median of 3 examinations/patient and an interval between the first/last determination of 1.1 years. The mean coefficient of variability (CVi, ratio of the...

Evaluation of an effect of profundoplasty on peripheral tissue perfusion in patients with peripheral arterial disease using transcutaneous oximetryOriginal research articles

Dominik Maduda, Luboš Kubíček, Katěrina Bílá, Robert Staffa

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(5):474-480 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.065  

Introduction: Profunda femoris artery (PFA) is an important artery that provides perfusion of the lower limb tissues via collateral circulation in case of superficial femoral artery (SFA) occlusion. Isolated angiovascular reconstruction, APF reconstruction (profundoplasty), is a debated topic in the scientific literature regard- ing the importance of collateral circulation and its contribution to improving the patient's clinical condi- tion. This project aims to evaluate the impact of isolated profundoplasty on the improvement of lower limb perfusion and thus to contribute to the decision-making process for the indication of this type of procedure....

Daniel Z. Lieberman a Michael E. Long: Dopamin. Molekula, která určuje osud lidstvaBook reviews

Prof. MUDr. Jan Petrášek, DrSc.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):468  

Docent MUDr. Petr Němec, CSc., MBA, oslavil 70. narozeninyPersonalia

prof. MUDr. Jan Černý, CSc., MUDr. Petr Fila, Ph.D.

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):467  

(Critical comments on the document "2023 ESC Guidelines for the Management of Endocarditis")Commentary

Jiří Beneš

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):455-465 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.053  

The article contains criticism of the 2023 ESC Guidelines for the management of endocarditis, which was published by the European Society of Cardiology in autumn 2023 and which was translated into Czech and published in the Cor et Vasa journal in spring 2024. The Guidelines contain a number of formal and factual mistakes in the field of antibiotic prophylaxis and treatment. The author of the critical comments advises Czech doctors not to accept the recommended regimens of antibiotic prophylaxis and therapy without prior consultation with the local antibiotic center or antibiotic consultant.

Never Give Up: A Case Report on Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement by MyVal for Degenerated Mitral Bioprosthesis During Hostilities in UkraineCase reports

Mykola Stan, Andrii Khokhlov, Oleh Zelenchuk, Borys Todurov, Natalia Ponych, Serhii Sudakevych, Stepan Maruniak

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):452-454 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.032  

The following clinical case presents the experience of using the MyVal (Meril Life Sciences) transcatheter biological aortic valve prosthesis to eliminate severe insufficiency of a degenerated mitral valve (MV) bioprosthesis, which occurred in the context of constant military operations, related air alerts, and power outages, which complicated the logistics of this procedure.

Coronary Artery Fistula As An Unexpected Cause of Heart Failure: A Case ReportCase reports

Andrianto, Alqi Yutha, Primasitha Maharany Harsoyo

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):448-451 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.023  

Coronary artery fistulae (CAF) are uncommon epicardial connections between coronary vessels and either a heart chamber, known as coronary cameral fistula (CCF), or the major vessels of the heart, such as pulmonary arteries or veins. Most patients remain asymptomatic in the first two decades, thus making their presence all the more concealed. Following the third decade, occurrence of both symptoms and complications rises. The primary pathophysiological issue in coronary fistulae is believed to be the coronary steal phenomenon. The symptoms experienced are contingent on the extent of steal or shunt. We report the case of a 70-year-old man presenting...

Bilateral Acute Limb Ischemia due to Severe Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis and Atrial Fibrillation with Neglected International Normalized Ratio ControlCase reports

Muhammad Aditya, Tita Rif'atul Mahmudah, I Gde Rurus Suryawan

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):444-447 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.039  

Acute limb ischemia (ALI) poses a critical threat to limb viability, necessitating urgent revascularization interventions. This case report discusses a 47-year-old Asian woman with bilateral ALI due to severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF), with neglected international normalized ratio (INR) control. The patient presented with sudden bilateral leg pain at rest, accompanied by bluish discoloration and sensory loss. Echocardiographic findings indicated severe rheumatic MS along with a thrombus in the left atrial appendage. The computed tomography angiogram revealed a near-total thrombus originating from the upper abdominal...

(Swimming induced pulmonary edema as an unusual cause of acute dyspnea)Case reports

Kateřina Gottwaldová, Marie Bulíčková, Marek Houra

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):440-443 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.028  

Swimming induced pulmonary edema is an acute, potentially life-threatening condition that has a good prognosis with early, correct diagnosis and therapy. It affects physically active individuals, more often women, during sports activities such as swimming or diving. Clinical manifestations are sudden shortness of breath, cough, hypoxemia. Risk factors are identified, including previously undiagnosed cardiac disease. This implies the importance of preventive examinations for physically active individuals.

Lymphomyokinetic exercises and activities for treatment of lower limb lymphedema: reviewReview articles

Jose Maria Pereira de Godoy, Henrique Jose Pereira de Godoy, Maria de Fatima Guerreiro Godoy

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):436-439 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.043  

There is a scarcity of studies on active forms of muscle activity as monotherapy for the reduction in the volume of the edema. One of the major challenges is the use of an isolated method to enable the evaluation of exercises as monotherapy for an immediate and long-term reduction in edema. The only study encountered is an evaluation immediately after muscle activity. Passive exercise can reduce the edema as monotherapy, but better results are achieved when combined with compression mechanisms. The maintenance of compression after exercises or activities enables achieving better results.

(Atrial fibrillation in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy)Review articles

Veronika Puchnerová, Michael Jenšovský, Petr Ošťádal, Jiří Bonaventura

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):429-434 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.038  

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The review article focuses on the complex mechanisms of development of atrial fibrillation in this subgroup of patients and on specific aspects of treatment (anticoagulation therapy and rhythm control). The final part focuses on the arrhythmia's effect on clinical symptomatology and prognosis of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

(Non-invasive evaluation of myocardial work efficiency: from theory to practice)Review articles

Tereza Hadžić, Olena Iurchenko, Jan Kovanda, Michal Vrbík, Miroslav Ložek, Jan Janoušek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):421-428 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.030  

Ventricular function is a fundamental parameter in clinical practice when it comes to prognosis, indication for treatment, and evaluation of effectiveness of applied therapy in a variety of cardiovascular diseases. Even though there already exists a whole range of invasive and non-invasive methods of its evaluation, all these methods have their limitations. One of the possible means of evaluation of ventricular function is the measurement of myocardial work which enables to assess myocardial work efficiency if related, for example, to cardiac output. This has, however, required performing an invasive study in the past. Recently, a new method of myocardial...

Heart Rate Recovery Index Evaluation in Prediabetic PatientsOriginal research articles

Okan Tanriverdi

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):417-420 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.046  

Background: Prediabetes is a major public health risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The heart rate recovery index (HRRI) shows autonomic function and predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) independently. The objective of the research was to assess the HRRI in individuals with prediabetes. Methods: The study comprised 400 cardiology clinic patients, 164 (41% female) and 316 (59% male). The Bruce protocol required treadmill stress ECGs for all patients. After the stress test, HRRIs were collected at 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes. HRRI is calculated by subtracting the subject's maximal exercise HR at the end of the session from HR after 1, 2, 3, and 5 minutes of...

Baseline intervals in electrocardiogram for risk stratification in Brugada syndrome: A 10-year prospective studyOriginal research articles

Vanda Devesa Neto, Joana Correia, António Costa, Luís Santos

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):411-416 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.027  

Background: Risk stratification in Brugada syndrome (BrS) remains challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the baseline intervals in resting ECG of a cohort of Portuguese patients with first-degree relatives diagnosed with BrS and to identify ECG parameters associated with cardiac events (CE) over a 10-year period. Methods: Prospective study assessing 107 Portuguese patients with first-degree relatives diagnosed with BrS and followed over a decade to detect CE. Subgroups included spontaneous type 1 (SB), inducible type 1 (IB), and normal ECG. CE were a composite endpoint comprising of sudden cardiac death (SCD), implantable cardioverter-defibrillator...

Investigation of Heart Rate Variability and Ventricular Repolarization Indexes in Brucella Patients with PalpitationsOriginal research articles

Okan Tanriverdi, Lutfu Askin, Husna Sengul Askin, Serdar Turkmen

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):403-410 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.016  

Background: Global zoonotic diseases like brucellosis increase cardiac mortality and malignant arrhythmias. Heart rate variability (HRV) measures heart rate non-invasively and reliably. Lower HRV suggests autonomic dysfunction. The Tp-e/QT interval (QT) and corrected QT (QTc) ratios are used to detect ventricular arrhyth- mogenesis. Objective: In brucellosis, we examined the relationship between autonomic dysfunction and ventricular repolarization (VR). This was done noninvasively by assessing HRV and VR parameters. Methods: One hundred patients with brucellosis had a mean age of 39.2±1.1 years. One hundred healthy volunteers with a mean age of...

(Prescription of basic pharmacotherapy and its dosage in outpatient care after discharge in patients hospitalized for cardiac decompensation)Original research articles

Jan Orct, Otto Mayer Jr., Simona Bílková, Tomáš Krynský, Josef Jirák

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(4):394-402 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.036  

Aims: We analyzed the prescription and dosage of essential pharmacotherapy in outpatient care at the end of 2022 in patients hospitalized between 2010-2020 for cardiac decompensation. Methods: The initial sample included 4097 patients hospitalized for cardiac decompensation. From this cohort, we analyzed 975 surviving patients (mean age 71.9 [±SD 10.8], 62.8% male) regarding pharmacotherapy in their central medication record. Results: The prescription of beta-blockers (BB) was 79.6% in outpatient care and did not significantly change after discharge from hospitalization (77.5%). Taking BB with evidence in chronic heart failure (HF) only, there...

Jiří Kettner, Josef Kautzner a kolektiv: Akutní kardiologieBook reviews

Jan Petrášek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):388  

Jan Václavík, Zdeněk Lys a kolektiv: Multimorbidita v klinické praxiBook reviews

Jan Petrášek

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):387  

Opustil nás pan profesor MUDr. Jiří Kvasnička, CSc.Personalities

Michael Aschermann, Vladimír Rozsíval

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):386  

Odešel bojovník a vizionář doc. MUDr. Tomáš Kára, Ph.D.Personalities

Jiří Vítovec, Miroslav Souček, Michael Aschermann

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):384  

Paní profesorka Hana Rosolová slaví životní jubileumPersonalia

Michael Aschermann, výbor ČKS

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):382  

A case of Turner's syndrome, factor 5 Leiden, and fibrinogen deficiency associated with congenital aortic stenosis complicated by aortic aneurysm and aortic regurgitationCase reports

Emre Oteyaka, Leylagül Kaynar, Hasan Erdem Murat Ugurlucan, Halil Turkoglu

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):378-379 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.011  

The combination of Turner's syndrome, factor 5 Leiden and fibrinogen 1 deficiency is extremely rare. The modified Bentall procedure is a viable option for the management of aortic aneurysms and bicuspid aortic valves in Turner's syndrome to minimise the risks associated with high-risk surgical interventions. We report details of the successful implementation of the Bentall operation in a patient with Turner's syndrome complicated by aortic aneurysm, bicuspid aorta, factor 5 Leiden and fibrinogen deficiency.

A patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and complete AV block undergoing a successful left bundle area pacing implantationCase reports

Ramazan Gündüz, Bekir Serhat Yildiz, Su Ozgur

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):375-377 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.014  

The use of septal pacing, a novel pacemaker technique, is particularly recommended for patients with heart failure and a pacing requirement of ≥40% within a 24-hour period. The feasibility and effectiveness of left bundle area pacing remain unknown in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Our case represents the first instance in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients demonstrating the applicability of conduction system pacing.

Venous Thromboembolism, an Unusual Complication of Infective Endocarditis Caused by Moraxella species: a Case ReportCase reports

Meity Ardiana, Tita Rif'atul Mahmudah, Bambang Herwanto, Inna Maya Sufiyah

Cor Vasa 2024, 66(3):370-374 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2024.009  

Background: Septic embolism is a relatively common and potentially severe complication of infective endocarditis (IE), and most often are found in the brain, solid organs (e.g. spleen, kidney, lungs), and lower extremity. Interestingly, we found an acute venous thromboembolic event in IE patient with septicemia. Case illustration: A 42-year-old male was referred from neighboring island to our hospital for IE and septic shock. On admission he complained of shortness of breath during heavy activity, with fatigue and fever for seven days. He also presented with acute onset of left upper extremity pain for three days. The pain was increased over time with...